I appreciate your effort. I was more of a lurker on Reddit, but realised we all got to actively participate here if we want Lemmy (and the Fediverse at large) to succeed.

Unfortunately, content marketing is a long-term ROI strategy. IMO other marketing means (e.g. ads, influencers) would do a better job of bringing new users onboard in the short term, helping us to tap into the network effect.

IMO there hasn't been enough marketing of Fediverse / Lemmy / etc.

How about more marketing efforts? Buying ads?

Donate some of it to charity.

I have stopped watching it but back when I did, I started watching from season 1 episode 1 just fine. You can probably do the same.

It's nice to see a fellow fan. I've always find it a pity that top-tier anime like Medalist get overlooked / underwatched by the general anime community.

I'm glad there are people like you who are willing to give them a chance.

I know these recommendations are uncalled for, but I think you may enjoy these anime too:

Girls Band Cry - Nina (the protagonist) is an idiot unlike Inori, and the anime is about music instead of sports, but I find that their stories are quite similar.

Umamusume: Cinderella Gray - The similarity here is more straightforward, with both being sports anime.

Machu and Nyaan's story

Yeah that's where my interest is too, but they keep not doing anything with it so far

If this is your first foray into Gundam, I think Witch from Mercury may be more your cup of tea.

Past Seasons

I completed two anime over the past week. As usual, top-rated shows do not disappoint.

Grand Blue was good dumb fun. The slapstick humour was on point and got me laughing my ass off many times. I am glad I picked it up right before season 2 airs.

Easy 9 / 10

While watching Girls Band Cry, I had an epiphany: this is, in fact, a sports anime. The "sport" here just happened to be making music.

Think about it:

It has all the makings of a sports anime: main characters being heavily disadvantaged, them having tragic backstories, strong rival(s), numerous other obstacles; but despite all that, they persevered.

But if we take it one step further, a lot of these stories of sports teams or bands are typical of start-ups. It's just that the space are they in is sports / music.

Anyway, stories like Girls Band Cry never fail to tug at my heartstrings. Despite being a dumbass, Nina's personality makes me (and everyone else) want to root for her. Same goes for the other band members with their backstories. This show knows how to get you to connect with its characters.

There's not much I can add besides saying that this anime is absolute cinema. 10 / 10

P.S. I enjoyed their songs; now Hokago Tea Time has a challenger. I haven't watch much anime with bands, but my current ranking is as such:

1. Hokago Tea Time (K-On) - Don't Say Lazy is the GOAT. Let's Go and Sweet Bitter Beauty Song are pretty good too
2. Togenashi Togeari (Girls Band Cry) - Void is solid
3. Kessoku Band (Bocchi the Rock) - No songs particularly stood out / fit my taste

(Not including Girls Dead Monster because it has been quite a while since I watched Angel Beats or listened to their songs)

P.P.S. Perhaps it's because I'm obsessed with Umamusume lately, but why do so many of these band names sound like horse names?!

Bonus:

Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray surprised me. I didn't expect to like it as I tried to watch the first Umamusume a couple of times and couldn't get past episode 2. Will watch Part 2.

That was my experience with Pretty Derby too. Thanks to Cinderella Gray, I gave it one more chance but didn't watch by release order - and finally got into it.

Please try starting from Pretty Derby season 2 directly, and try at least 2 episodes before deciding whether to drop it or not. It has a significantly higher rating than the first season for a reason: the story is just that good.

Note that although it is the second season, you can watch it as a standalone show.

This Season

Watched (or will watch) till completion

will only talk about full anime seasons (i.e. no OVAs, no shorts)

Gundam GQuuuuuuX

I see people complaining that the show progresses too quickly. Personally, the breakneck pace means that I didn't have a chance of grow bored of it.

My only "real" complaint is the

Umamusume: Cinderella Gray

Peak story-telling and drama. Never could I have imagined that anthropomorphised horse-racing would get so exciting and emotional.

It definitely deserves to be the highest-rated new anime of the season on tracking sites like AniList and MyAnimeList.

It is also a contender for best sports anime of all time IMO.

Cinderella Gray would easily be the anime-of-the-season for me, if not for another anime airing this season that belongs among the GOATs.

The Apothecary Diaries season 2

I have mentioned a few times that I ruined the viewing experience for myself by reading the manga. But even with this nerf, it still doesn't change how well the story was presented.

One thing I have wondered since season 1 is why its target demographic is seinen. IMO suspense is one of those genres that cater to all age groups and genders.

Season 2 made the reason apparent. Season 1 teased the conspiracies and politics, but season 2 brought them out in full force. It reminds me heavily of Vinland Saga and other Gundam-like shows.

The only reason I have not declared Apothecary Diaries to be AOTS is because it has not finish airing, and I am very particular about the climaxes and endings of shows.

Cinderella Gray had a strong ending, so it has to at least match that.

Notable Drops

i.e. watched more than a few episodes

Witch Watch

It can be pretty funny at times. However, the slice-of-life-focused episodes got too slow and boring for me.

To Be Hero X

It had the potential to be anime of the season with the insane plot twists and conspiracy. Unfortunately, it lost me at the Lucky Cyan arc. A standard superhero rise-to-fame story is too boring for me.

Plan to watch

I have heard good things about the shows below, so I am planning to try one episode out for each of them.

• Apocalypse Hotel
• Ninja and Assassin under one roof
• Rock is a Lady's Modesty

Good on you for playing the game.

I rerolled for Fine Motion and Super Creek for quite a few hours, got salty that I can't get both of them even after so many tries, and ragequited and uninstalled the game.

For what I've heard, the game is rather difficult, which means having to sink an ungodly amount of time or - given that it is gacha - money into it, neither of which I have sufficient of.

Personally, I will try to support them in some other way.